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On this day, 15 May 2006, former Smiths singer and songwriter Morrissey played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall as part of his Tour of the Tormentors.
He had just released his Release of the Tormentors album which reached No 1 in the UK album charts.
South Wales Echo Review by Gavin Allen 16/5/2006
Magnificent, miserable, mediocre Morrissey.
Mr Smith from Manchester arrived in Cardiff to the kind of clamour usually reserved for the Pope. With the greeting 'Hey hey. It's Tiger Bay' he opened with First Of the Gang which did nothing to quell the fervour and he threatened to spark a riot when he tossed Smiths classic Still Ill out as his second tune.
Girlfriend In Coma produced a further reminder as to his glorious group past, but it was also noticeable that he is getting on a bit and his paunch poked through an unflattering purple shirt.
It did nothing to prevent the usual calls of 'I love you' and 'marry me' from grown men.
What dipped proceedings was a sizeable middle section where he indulged in a B-side and ran through material from Ringleader Of The Tormentors that is anything but classic.
Yet there is no denying he is an iconic performer and he cracked his microphone cord like the Indiana Jones of indie, threw the odd rock star pose and opted for a gratuitously sweaty shirt change. Life Is A Pigsty proved he could still be as miserable as a laboratory monkey while How Soon Is Now returned the crowd to messianic mania after a long lull.
Another shirt change and the encore, Irish Blood, English Heart, and with a theatrical bow he went off into the night. He is a light that never goes out.
Gavin Allen
Setlist
First of the Gang to Die
Still Ill
(The Smiths song)
The Youngest Was the Most Loved
In the Future When All's Well
To Me You Are a Work of Art
Girlfriend in a Coma
(The Smiths song)
You Have Killed Me
I Will See You in Far-Off Places
At Last I Am Born
The Father Who Must Be Killed
Ganglord
Let Me Kiss You
Life Is a Pigsty
Trouble Loves Me
I Just Want to See the Boy Happy
How Soon Is Now?
(The Smiths song)
Encore:
Irish Blood, English Heart
